age

1[countable,uncountable]the number of years that a person has lived or a thing has existedHe left school at the age of 18.She needs more friends her own age.children from 5–10 years of ageThis game is for children of all ages.When I was your age, I was already married.He started playing the piano at an early age.Children over the age of 12 must pay the full fare.She was beginning to feel her age(= feel that she was getting old).He was tall for his age(= taller than you would expect, considering his age).There's a big age gap between them (= a big difference in their ages).ways of calculating the age of the earth

2[countable,uncountable]a particular period of a person's lifemiddle age15 is an awkward age.He died of old age.

4[uncountable]the state of being oldWine improves with age.The jacket was showing signs of age.the wisdom that comes with age

5ages[plural](informal)a very long timeI waited for ages.It'll probably take ages to find a parking space.Carlos left ages ago.It's been ages since we saw them.

6[countable](geology)a length of time which is a division of an epoch

Topic CollocationsThe Ages of Lifechildhood/youthbe born (and raised) in New York; into a wealthy/middle-class familyhave a happy/an unhappy/a tough childhoodgrow up in a musical family/in an orphanage/on a farmbe/grow up an only child (= with no brothers or sisters)reach/hit/enter/go through adolescence/pubertybe in your teens/early twenties/mid-twenties/late twentiesundergo/experience physical/psychological changesgive in to/succumb to/resist peer pressureassert your independence/individualityadulthoodleave homegraduate from school/collegego to work (at the age of 21)get/find a job/partnerbe/get engaged/marriedhave a wife/husband/mortgage/steady jobsettle down and have kids/start a familybegin/start/launch/build a career (in politics/science/the music industry)prove (to be)/represent/mark/reach a (major) turning point in your life/careerreach/be well into/settle into middle agehave/suffer/go through a midlife crisistake/consider early retirementapproach/announce/enjoy your retirementold agesee/spend time with your grandchildrentake up/pursue/develop a hobbyget/receive/draw/collect/live on a pensionapproach/save for/die of old agelive to a ripe old agereach the grand old age of 102/23 (often humorous) be/become/be getting/be going senile (often humorous) die (peacefully)/pass away in your sleep/after a brief illnessIdioms